It’s Easy Being Green

If you’ve been keeping a close eye on fall fashion, accessories and beauty trends (Green shimmery nail polish, anyone?), you’ve probably noticed quite a bit of green popping up. Well get ready, because green is about to hit the design world in a big way. Green, especially jewel-toned hues such as emerald, will be an important color to turn to when decorating your home this fall. It’s fresh and new and offers a bit of cheery hope in uncertain times.

“The economy is still sluggish, people are still worried and when you are worried and stressed the last thing you want is something dull, like brown, surrounding you,” says NYC-based interior designer John Loecke of John Loecke, Inc. (johnloeckeinc.com). “In times like these you need a little pep and excitement and green does this without upsetting an established design plan.”

Estela Lugo, US Editor for Trend Bible (trendbible.co.uk) agrees. “Green symbolizes growth, wealth and progress,” she explains. “This unisex and healing color also makes for a great complement to all of the wood grain prints and surfaces that are still going strong in the home decor market, providing a nice balance.”

On her list of favorite green shades? Rich, nostalgic mossy greens like the ones used to paint the nesting tables from Areaware that she is currently craving. “These shades are warm and comforting,” she says. “And they bring us back to more carefree days with reference to grandma’s crushed velvet sofa and Depression-era glassware. My favorite pairing right now is military green with soft pink. It’s making its way from the runways into our living rooms with a focus on finding beauty in everyday items.”

As with fashion, nature also provides loads of inspiration for the home and there is perhaps no other color in abundance as green. “I look at green as a neutral—nature’s neutral,” says Loecke. “It’s the color of trees, grass, plants, everything you see outdoors and for this reason; it works wonderfully with any other color.”

Of course, one of the easiest ways to bring in some green is to add a few plants around your home (the boost of oxygen doesn’t hurt either). Other ways Loecke suggests bringing in this hot hue is by adding pillows to your sofa, new bedding or even grouping a collection of pottery such as Jadeite, in varying shades of green.

Paint is also a fun way to play with color. Many people are using green in kitchens, bathrooms or for simple DIY projects such as freshening up a wood table with a coat of paint in a happy shade of green. “I’m seeing a lot of greens that trend toward the yellow side of the spectrum. They’re a bit more unexpected and thus have a little more personality,” Loecke said.

As for pairing this hue with what you already have at home, Mary Nolte, of Kaleidoscope Color Consulting doesn’t think twice. “Generally, green works with just about anything…Green is, hands down, my favorite go-to color, especially when the wall is the backdrop for a stained wood such as on kitchen cabinets, a wall unit or beautiful, decorative stained wood moldings.”

And while she admits, more often than not, her clients will say that they don’t like green based on a memory from a childhood room or they found such a color distasteful in the house when they moved in, when they see the right green for the right space, they quickly become fans.

“When I talk about green with clients, I will always say the green family rather than just green,” she explains. “There are so many variations of the color green and the atmosphere that a particular green can create. There are bright greens, grayed muted greens, yellow greens, blue greens, pastel greens, and deep rich greens—there’s a green to go with anything!”

Nolte recently worked with California Paints to create a favorite Exterior Color Combination on the company’s website. The star of the show? Hazelwood, a rich gray green with a blue undertone as the main color complemented by a plum (Beauport Aubergine) and a taupe (Parsnip).

As with any shade in the rainbow, it’s all about your own personal comfort level, so while there are lots of variations to choose from in the green family, it always comes down to what speaks to you, what makes you most comfortable. Whether it’s the deep richness of an emerald or a bright and happy lime, have fun welcoming this exciting hue into your home this fall.